Fountain roller



June 1Q 1965 .-r. R. MOLEMORE 3,186,024

FOUNTAIN ROLLER Filed oct. 2e, 1961 3 4Z INVENTOE:

TERRELL R. ML EMoFE,

army/LAM,

United States Patent O j 3,186,024 f FOUNTAIN ROLLER Terrell R. McLemore, Belleville, Ill., assigner to Marsh Stencil Machine Company,.Belleville, Ill., a corporation Y of Illinois j Filed Oct. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 147,930 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-547) This invention relates to a fountain roller and particularly to a fountain roller having a roller and means to feed ink to the roller through internal passages. This fountain roller has a body with a handle connected to one end and the shaft of a `roller to the opposite end. There is an internal ink passage through the handle. The handle is hollow to provide an ink or paint reservoir. This reservoir communicates with the internal passage. The roller shaft has a recess within it in communication with the passage through the arm. An orifice through the side of the shaft provides an outlet for ink from the shaft recess. The roller is porous and is mounted upon a hollow sleeve surrounding the shaft. Ink that emerges from the orifice outlet is distributed over the inner surface of the roller and is transmitted through the pores of the roller to the outer surface.

A pump assembly is connected into the passage that, communicates the ink reservoir with the roller shaft. The pump assembly has a plunger member that is finger operated and, therefore, is conveniently located adjacent one end of the handle. This plunger is operably connected to a piston member that reciprocates within a chamber which, in turn, is in the ink passage. The interaction between the plunger and the piston member is such that, upon a pumping stroke,`a solid piston Wall moves against ink within the chamber to force that ink through the passage to the roller shaft and out theroller orifice. The piston member has a small hole through it which is blocked by the end of the plunger upon the pumping stroke. However, upon the return stroke, the plunger is allowed to move away from the opening before it draws the piston member with it, thus freeing the opening. With the opening unblocked, the chamber ahead of the piston member refills with ink upon the return stroke of the piston member.

An object of this invention is to provide a fountain roller having a body with an ink reservoir adjacent one end and a `roller assembly adjacent the other end, with passage means between the reservoir and the roller assembly and a pump for pumping ink from the reservoir to the roller assembly to keep the roller in constant supply of ink.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fountain roller having a body with a handle connected to one end and a roller assembly to the other end thereof with an ink reservoir within the handle and a passage for feeding ink from the reservoir through the body to the inner portions of the roller assembly, with the entire ink path being internal, the roller assembly having means for receiving the ink internally against certain inner surfaces for distribution outwardly therefrom for a stencilling operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an internally fed fountain roller including a single ink passage within the body of the roller and a single outlet orifice for distributing ink to the roller, and with .a high pressure pump within the ink passage, capable of pumping ink at a sufficiently high pressure to eliminate ink clogging or to unblock ink clogging if it occurs within the single passage or at the single outlet orifice.

Another object of the invention is to provide an internally fed fountain roller having a single ink path connecting an ink reservoir to an outlet orifice for feeding ink to the roller wherein the roller has a cylindrical inner C lCC surface that rotates about the outlet orifice as the roller rotates, with means for distributing ink from the single orifice outlet substantially uniformly over the entire inner surface of the roller.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the description.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a plan View of the fountain roller;

FIGURE 2 is a medial section View of the fountain roller of FIGURE l, but on an enlarged scale, the view being a plan section;

FIGURE 3 is a view in section taken Ialong the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view in medial section of the body or arm of the fountain roller;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation view of the body of the fountain roller showing the right end of the roller of FIGURE l, but with the handle and roller assembly removed;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of the roller shaft; and

FIGURE 7 is a reproduction, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the roller has a body 10 having a large end 11 opposite a smaller end 12. The end 11 has a large opening 13 through it surrounded by threads 14. The end 11 extends from the side of an arm 15 which has a bend 16 near its center, with a portion 17 that extends from the bend 16 in a direction substantially parallel to the opening 13. The end 12 extends from a side of the portion 17 of the arm 15. The end 12 has a threaded opening 18 through it.

The side 20 of the body 10 adajacent the larger end 11 and opposite the arm 15 is flattened. A recess'21`, which defines a pressure chamber, extends through this flattened side 20. The end of the chamber 21 adjacent the side 20 has internal threads 22. This chamber 2.1 communicates by way of a short passage 23 with the opening 13 through the end 11 of the body.

Through the arm 15 and in communication with the chamber 21, is a fluid passage 25. The passage 25 is drilled through the end of the body 15 adjacent the portion 17 and is countersunk to form a valve seat 26. The end 27 of the countersunk bore 25 is threaded to receive a plug 28. A compression spring 29 bears against this plug 23 and presses a ball 30 against the valve seat 26.

Another fluid passage 31 extends through the portion 17 of the arm 15 and communicates with the passage 25. The passage 31 has a threaded end 32 for receiving a plug 33. This passage 31 communicates with the threaded opening 18 through the end 12 of the arm.

A handle 35 is threaded onto the end 11 of the body 10. This handle 35 is hollow and it-s interior provides a fluid reservoir 36. An yend cap 37 is threaded onto the end of the handle to allow filling of the reservoir 36 with ink. There is a gasket 38 to provide fluid tight engagement between the end cap 37 and the handle 35. The passages through the body 10 provide a continuous ow path from the reservoir 36 through the opening 13 and the short passage 23 into the chamber 21 and then from the passage 2S to the passage 31 to the threaded opening 13.

A roller assembly 40 is connected to the smaller end 12 of the body 10. The roller assembly 40 includes a shaft 41 which has a threaded end 42 for connecting the shaft to the threaded opening 18 in the end 12. The shaft has annular recesses 43 adjacent its ends for receiving O rings 44. The shaft 41 has a passage 45 that extends through the threaded end 42 but terminates short of the opposite end. A small outlet orifice 46 extends through a side of the shaft 41 near its center and communicates with the passage 45. The passage 45 in turn communicates with the passage 31 through the threaded opening 18 in the body 10.

A pair of opposed metal hubs 47 and 48 are mounted upon the shaft 41 about the O rings 44. These hubs 47 and 48 press against the O rings 44, but can, nevertheless, rotate about the O rings. The hubs 47 and 48 have inwardly projecting cylindrical extensions 49 with plate-like iianges 50 extending radially outwardly from the central cylindrical extensions.

A metal cylindrical sleeve 51 is mounted upon the cylindrical extensions 49 and bears against the plate extensions l). A cylindrical resilient, porous roller 52 is mounted upon the sleeve 51 with its inner surface 53 bearing against the sleeve. The roller 52 may be sponge rubber or other porous material. Annular rubber washers 54are mounted between the plate extensions 50 and the sides of the resilient, porous roller 52. The sleeve 51 is preferably pressfitted or otherwise secured to the hubs 47 and 48 so that the hubs, the sleeve, the rubber washers 54 and the roller 52 comprise a single unit, and these parts are removable from the shaft 41 as a single unit. This unit is fastened to the shaft 41 by a screw 55 and a washer 56, the screw being threaded into the free end of the shaft 41 and the washer 56 bearing against the outer side of the hub 48.

The sleeve 51 that supports the roller 52 has a plurality of holes 57 through it that permit ink to pass from the space surrounding the shaft 41 through the sleeves 51 to the inner surface 53 of the roller 52. These holes 57 are spaced over the entire surface of the sleeve 51 except for a central portion 58 opposite the outlet orifice 46 through the shaft 41. As the roller assembly rotates, there is always a part of this solid wall portion 58 of the sleeve 51 opposite the outlet orifice 46.

A pump assembly 60 is connected into the body 10 to operate within the chamber 21. The pump assembly comprises a bushing 61 that is threaded into the open end 22 of the chamber 21. The bushing 61 has a passage 62 through it that is countersunk to provide a larger recess 63 with a conical O-ring seat 64 at the bottom of the recess. A plunger 65 reciprocates within Ithe opening 62. The plunger 65 has an enlarged conical head 66 which is larger than the opening 62. The plunger 65 has a finger button 67 threaded onto its end opposite the conical head 66. A sleeve 68 extends from the finger button and surrounds a part of the plunger 65 adjacent the linger button. The sleeve guides the linger button within the recess 63. The plunger is biased in an outward or withdrawing direction by a compression spring 69 that bears at one end against the inner side of the finger button 67 within the sleeve 68. An O-ring seal 78 is pressed against the conical seat 64. A thrust washer 71, is positioned between the O-ring seal 20 and the spring 69, the adjacent end of the spring being seated against the thrust washer. The spring pressure upon the O-ring 70 forces it into conical seat 64 for more effective sealing against the plunger.

A cup shaped piston member 72 is slidably disposed within the chamber 21. The piston member 72 has a piston face 73 and a cylindrical side wall 74. The piston face 73 is always between the passage 23 and the passage 25. The piston face 73 has an orifice 75 through its center, opposite the conical head 66 of the plunger 65.

The plunger 65 has a spring metal washer 76 loosely surrounding it adjacent the conical head 66. The washer 76 has a hole through it for receiving the body of the plunger 65. This hole is larger than the body of the plunger 65 but is smaller than the conical head 66.

The rearward end of the inner side wall of the cupshaped piston member 72 is bored to a larger diameter to form an annular notch 77. The spring steel washer 76 has a number of small fingers 78 that are pressed into the annular notch 77 to lock the piston member 72 to the spring steel washer 76. Thus, when the plunger 65 is depressed, it moves toward the piston member 72 until the conical head 66 contacts the face '73 of the piston member. Then the piston member is moved in a pumping dihead engages the spring steel washer 76.

reetion upon further depression of the plunger, while the conical head 66 blocks the orifice 75 through the face of the piston member. When the plunger 65 is released, the compression spring 69 returns it to its retracted position. As the plunger begins to return, the plunger slides Within the spring steel washer 76 and the conical head 66 moves away from the orifice and the piston face 73 until the Then the plunger, through the spring steel washer, withdraws the piston member 72 with it until the head of the plunger contacts the head of the bushing 61. There is a rest member 80 that extends downwardly from the body 10 of the fountain roller, as shown in FIGURES l, 3 and 5. The bottom of this rest member engages a horizontal surface when the roller is to be out of use, and the cap end 37 of the handle 35 also engages the horizontal surface, thereby tilting the roller 52 away from that horizontal surface. This rest member 80 thus allows the fountain roller to be laid aside with the roller 52 held out of contact with the surface upon which the fountain roller is resting. The rest member 80 does not interfere with the normal use of the fountain roller because, when the roller 52 is being pressed against a stencil or other inking material, the body 10 and handle 35 are held at a somewhat elevated angle, thus raising the rest member 80.

Operation The reservoir 36 is easily iilled by removal of the end cap 37. When enough ink is within the reservoir 36 to supply any given stencil job, or when the reservoir 36 is filled, the fountain roller is ready for use.

Initially, although the reservoir 36 may have ink in it, the roller 52 will be devoid of ink. Ink is supplied to the roller 52 by operating the pump assembly 60. During the pumping action, the fountain roller should be held with the reservoir at least slightly above the chamber 21 because the iiow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber 21 is caused by the force of gravity. However, this is a convenient position in which to hold the fountain roller because it is the position for stenciling. In the Withdrawn position of the piston member 72 (and plunger 65) shown in FIGURE 2, the orifice 75 through the face 73 of the piston member is unblocked, and ink can fiow from the reservoir 36, through the passage 23, past the conical head 66 of the plunger, through the oriiice 75 into the chamber 21 ahead of the piston face 73. Some 0f this ink can flow into the passage 25, but the spring 29 maintains suicient pressure against the ball 30 to keep it seated against the valve seat 26 and block the ilow of ink beyond the passage 25. So long as the plunger 65 is withdrawn and the reservoir 36 is held above the chamber 21, ink can fill the passage 25 and the chamber 21 upstream of the valve member 30 and downstream of the piston face 73.

To supply ink to the roller 52, the finger button 67 is engaged by the thumb or forefinger of the hand holding the handle 35 (note the position and angle of the finger button 67 which makes it readily accessible to the thumb of a right hand holding the handle 35 or the forefinger of a left hand holding the handle 35). Upon initial depression of the plunger 65, the friction between the side wall of the chamber 21 and the side wall 74 of the piston member 72 causes the piston member 72 to resist movement Within the chamber 21. The piston member 72 remains stationary while the plunger 65 moves toward it until the conical head 66 seats against the orifice 75 in the piston face 73 and blocks that orifice. When the orifice 75 is blocked, the piston face 73 and the part of the conical head 66 blocking the orifice provides a solid wall past which iiuid or ink cannot readily flow. (During this initial movement of the plunger 65, it passes freely through the hole in the spring metal washer 76.)

Upon further depression of the plunger 65, its head 66 bears directly against the back of the piston member 72 and pushes the piston member forwardly in a pumping dlrection. The ink within the chamber 21 and the passage 25 is then forced against the ball 30 to unseat the ball after which the ink can flow past the ball into the passage 31 and thence to the passage 45 in the shaft 41,. The ink squirts out of the passage 45 through the single outlet orifice 46 which is small enough to spray the ink in a line high velocity stream against the solid wall 58 of the sleeve 51. As the ink impinges against the solid wall 58, it is splattered and dispersed in all directions toward the opposing sides of the sleeve 51 and if the roller 52 is rotated while the pumping action occurs, the ink is dispersed over the entire inner surface of the sleeve 51. The ink then passes through the openings 57 in the sleeve 51 and enters the sponge rubber roller 52.

When the plunger 65 is released, the spring 69 forces it rather rapidly to its retracted position in which the conical head 66 engages the bushing 61. Initially, when the plunger 65 begins to retract, it slides within the hole in the spring metal washer 76 as the conical head 66 moves away from the orifice '75 in the piston face 73. The piston member 72 resists retraction because of the frictonal engagement between its side Wall 74 and the side Wall of the chamber 21. When the conical head 66 engages the spring metal Washer 76, it draws the washer and the piston member 72 in a return direction as ink is allowed to flow through the now open orifice 75 into the chamber 21 and the passage 25. Because there .is no force against the ball 30, it is seated by the spring 29 against the valve seat 26.

This pumping action continues until the roller 52 is saturated or has as much ink in it as the operator des-ires.

An important advantage of this fountain roller is that all of the ink reserved and supplied to the roller 52 is internal, which provides a much cleaner operation of the fountain roller. Also, the path of ink ow during the pumping action is by Way of a single conduit emerging through a single outlet to the space within the sleeve 51. If any clogging occurs within this single passage or within the outlet 46, the pressure supplied by the pump assembly 60 is sufficient to free the ink path from whatever clogging there might be. Yet, in spite of the single outlet orifice 46, the presence of the solid wall 58 opposite the orice causes such a splashing as to disperse the ink and distribute it over the entire inner surface of the roller 52. The roller 52 being made of a sponge rubber that absorbs the ink, the ink is rather quickly drawn toward the outer surface of the roller 52.

The entire roller assembly 40 is removed by simply removing the screw 55 and its washer 56. Then the unit that comprises the hubs 47 and 48, sleeve 51, and the roller 52 can be drawn off the shaft 41 and either repaired or replaced. Likewise, the pump assembly 60 is readily removable by simply unscrewing the bushing 61. The pump assembly comes out the chamber 21 as a unit because the piston member 72 is withdrawn with the plunger 65 by its connection to the spring steel Washer 76. Any Worn parts of the pump assembly can be'replaced and then the unit can be reinstalled within the body of the fountain roller. To aid in cleaning the passages 25 and 31, the plugs 2S and 33 can be removed. Removal of the plug 28 also permits removal of the spring 29 and ball 30 for repair or replacement. Thus, it is apparent that the entire fountain roller is easily repaired and easily cleaned with conventional tools and in a short time.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A fountain roller comprising a porous roller having a cylindrical outer surface, an opening through the center of the roller defining an inner surface thereof, a shaft, means for supporting the roller upon the shaft with the shaft extending into the opening, a passage within the shaft, a single orifice through the side of the shaft to communicate the shaft passage with the opening in the roller, a fluid reservoir, passage means for communicating the fluid reservoir with the shaft passage, pump means for pumping fluid from the reservoir to the shaft passage, and a :substantially rigid sleeve Within the opening and bearing against the inner surface of the roller, the sleeve having a plurality of ports through it for transmitting uid from the shaft orifice to the roller, but having an imperforate wall opposite the shaft orifice to disperse liuid sprayed against the sleeve through the orifice.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,104,903 1/ 38 Morrow 222-340 2,225,010 12/40 Jette 15--549 X 2,473,696 6/41 Anderson.

2,563,842 8/51 Johnson 15-549 2,965,911 12/60 Hembel et al. 15-562 3,036,327 5/62 Crawford 15-547 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,120,129 4/56 France.

868,894 5/ 61 Great Britain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner. 

